Eby introduces new cabinet
· CastanetA bus carrying members of Premier David Eby's new cabinet has arrived at Government House in Victoria, with passengers including both new and familiar faces.
Among newly elected members of the NDP caucus on the bus were former broadcaster Randene Neill and Vancouver Police Department veteran Terry Yung, while cabinet veterans including Mike Farnworth, Adrian Dix and Ravi Kahlon, also walked off the bus.
Eby arrived with his wife Dr. Cailey Lynch and their three children.
The premier has faced the challenge of filling the cabinet from a greatly reduced caucus after last month's tight election win gave his New Democrats a slim, one-seat majority.
The NDP government holds 47 seats in the 93-seat legislature.
Eby said at last week's swearing-in ceremony for the caucus that his cabinet and government will be tasked with focusing on kitchen-table issues of concern for people in B.C., including affordability, health care, public safety, housing and the economy.
Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier, who ran unsuccessfully as an Independent last month in his Dawson Creek-area riding, says Eby must find ways to bring rural representation into the cabinet even though the majority of his members are from Metro Vancouver or Vancouver Island.
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad says Eby has been invisible when it comes to rural B.C., and he and his 44-member caucus are looking forward to holding the government to account on numerous issues.
Here is a list of British Columbia's cabinet:
Premier: David Eby
Attorney general and deputy premier: Niki Sharma
Health: Josie Osborne
Finance: Brenda Bailey
Housing and municipal affairs: Ravi Kahlon
Forests: Ravi Parmar
Energy and climate solutions: Adrian Dix
Agriculture and food: Lana Popham
Children and family development: Grace Lore
Citizens' Services: George Chow
Education and child care: Lisa Beare
Public Safety and solicitor general: Gary Begg
Emergency management and climate readiness: Kelly Greene
Environment and parks: Tamara Davidson
Indigenous relations and reconciliation: Christine Boyle
Infrastructure: Bowinn Ma
Jobs, economic development and innovation: Diana Gibson
Labour: Jennifer Whiteside
Mining and critical minerals: Jagrup Brar
Post-secondary education and future skills: Anne Kang
Social development and poverty reduction: Sheila Malcolmson
Tourism, arts, culture and sport: Spencer Chandra Herbert
Transportation and transit and house leader: Mike Farnworth
Water, land and resource stewardship: Randene Neill
Minister of state for local governments and rural communities: Brittny Anderson
Minister of state for child care and children and youth with support needs: Jodie Wickens
Minister of state for trade: Rick Glumac
Minister of state for community safety and integrated services: Terry Yung